High tension electrical switch



July 16, 1935- H. B. MASSEY ET AL HIGH TEN/SION ELECTRICAL SWITCHOriginal Filed April 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 16,1935. H. B.MASSEY El AL 7 2,008,139

HIGH TENSION ELECTRICAL swnrcn Original Filed April 15, 1930 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Julylfi; 1935 PATENT OFFICE 2,008,139 HIGHTENSION ELECTRICAL swrrcn Hemsley B. Massey and Olav Maseng, Greensburg,

Pa., assignors to Railwayand Industrial Engineering Company, Greensburg,Pa... a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 15, 1930. SerialNo. 444,564: Renewed December 13, 1934 12- Claims. (01."200-48) Thisinvention relates to a high tension electrical switch.

Electrical switch blades can be classed with" established fact that inorder to obtain the maximum current capacity with a given number ofrectangular bars, it is necessary to depart from the single group ofbars and arange them in two or more groupsfand one arrangement which isin use for bus bars of ratings 4000 amperes and above consists of fourbars, or four groups of bars, arranged with two groups horizontal with aspacing between groups in excess of the width of the bars *used,together with two groups of vertical bars with a similar spacing, eachgroup equidistant from a centeror axis common to both vertical andhorizontal bars.

M This. grouping of bus bars is. commonly referred toias hollow squarearrangementand has been founligyery efficient for heavy alternatingcurrents. The ordinary disconnecting switch has blades hinged to oneterminal. The hollow square arrangement if used for switch blades doesnot adapt itself for hinging in the usual manner.

One object of this invention is to construct a. switch which willutilize the high efficiency vof'this type of conductor both in the bladeand 35*in 'the' terminals, so that when connected in the bus it willform a continuous hollow square conductor arrangement.

Anotherpbject of this invention is to provide a simple means forapplying high pressure to a multiplicity of contact surfaces betweenterminals and blade after the blade has been closed.

' Another object is to provide a switch of this type wherein atelescoping form of blade and contact is used and provided with means toallow the movable and stationary members of the switch to telescope oneupon the other, and to apply high pressure betweenthese members-aftertheir initial engagement.

A further object is to construct operating mechanism arranged to releasethe high pressure normally existing when the switch is closed prior todisengaging movement of the movable contact. i

These and further objects will be apparent from the followingdescription when taken in connec- Fig. 1 are longer than those at theleft hand end.

tion withthe accompanying drawings, wherein,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the switch in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 2-2 of Fi 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view looking into the movable switch member inthe disengaged position. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one detail, and

Fig. 6 is a top view thereof, one corner thereof being broken away. I

Referring to Fig. 1, a support I is provided upon which is mounted thestationary insulators 2 and the movable insulator 3. The movableinsulator 3 is secured to a frame 4 mounted on rollers 5 and guided forreciprocating movement in' sup,- port I. A lever 6 is secured to frame4' and is connected to a'crank arm 1 which in tum is connected to rotaryshaft 8 secured to support I. It will be seen that rotation of shaft 8will impart reciprocating motion to insulator 3.

Each of the stationary insulators 2 has a strap thereon to secure aseries of conductors 9 in the form of a hollow square. Theseconductors-are apertured at their ends for clamping engagement with busbars or conductors similarly arranged in the form of a hollow square. Itwill be noted that the conductors 9 at the righthand end of The spacebetween the ends of the two groups of conductors 9 is adapted to bebridged by a movable set of blades II) which are also arranged as ahollow square slightly smaller than that formed by conductors 9,the'blades l0 telescoping within .and contacting with blades 9. Thesemovable blades 10 are attached to each other by a strap I l surroundingand secured to' each of the blades.

A U-shaped bracket I 2 which is secured to insulator 3 carries a crosspin I3, this 'pin passing through slots M in strap II and through-slotsIS in the two opposite blades, these slots l4 and I5 being elongated inthe direction of movement of the blades for a purpose to be later setforth.

As'previously stated, one of the objects of this invention is to pressthe movable blades Ill under high pressure against the blades 9 afterthe movable blades have moved into place. a The following constructionaccomplishes this result. Each blade I0 has secured thereto within thehollow square two socket members l6 adjacent each end' thereof. Eachsocket member has a rounded cavity therein to receive a pin ll, each pinhaving its end correspondingly rounded.

As will be seen fromFig. 4, the pins l'l project inwardly from theblades l0 and their inner ends are seated in corresponding cavities in asquare block l8. This block I8 is made strong and rigid to withstandheavy pressures exerted thereon by pins I1, and to that end it has across-section in the form of a T. As seen in Fig. (i, the cavities forthe reception of pins II are placed near the corners of member I8 andeach corner these bars being secured to lugs 2|, which lugs areintegrally formed with blocks l8. Movement of bars 20 will thereforeimpart movement to both blocks l8.

In order to move blocks l8 with respect to the movable blades [0, thustilting the toggle pins ll to spread the blades, the pin l3 which isrigidly secured to movable insulator 3 passes through and has a closefit in bars 20. Pin l3,however,.may

move with relation'to blades In for the length of slots l4 and 15. Across-pin 22 is connected to two blades l0, said pins passing throughslots 23 in bars 20. A tension spring 24 connects pins I3 and 22. Thespring 24 thus tends to move blocks It to the right of Figs. 1 and 2 tothus tilt toggle pins l1. r

In the open position of the switch as seen in Fig. 4, the toggle pins l1are tilted and pressure is relieved from the blades III. In moving toclosed position the blades Ill telescope with blades 9 in rubbingengagement therewith, the corresponding edges of blades 9 and I9 beingbeveled to facilitate this engagement, as shown. .A stop pin 25 issecured to the blades 9 of the left hand contact, said stop pin beingengaged by the movable blades I!) when said blades II] have fullyengaged within blades 9. Further movement of insulator 3 to the leftwill move blocks l8 with respect to blades II] to thus spread blades l 0outwardly by a camming movement of pins l1.

Cooperating means are provided adjacent the ends of stationary blades 9to rigidly hold blades 9 against outward movement when blades l9 spreadoutwardly. Such means comprises a clamp 26 surrounding the ends ofblades 9, the clamp as illustrated being an I beam for greater rigidity.This clamp I6 is adapted to receive threaded members 21 which engage insocket members 28 secured to blades 9, look nuts being P ovided tomaintain the adjustment of members 21. The blades 9 may'thus be adjustedto position and will be prevented from spreading outwardly when pressureis applied upon blades [9;

It is believed that the operation will be clear from the abovedescription. The blocks l8 assume the position as shown in Fig. 4 whenthe switch is open, due to spring 24. When insulator 3 moves to the leftthe blades 19 enter and telescope within the left hand stationarycontacts 9 until they engage stop pin 25. Further movement of insulator3 moves pin l3 to the left hand end of slots l4 and I5, thus movingblocks l8 to the left with respect to blades ill. The toggle pins H arethus straightened from their tilted positions to spread blades. I 9outwardly. at the two ends thereof into engagement with blades Sundervery high pressure, clamps 2B preventing a corresponding outwardmovement of blades 9. In

opening the switch initial movement of insulator 3 to the right movesbars 29 to thus move blocks l8 to break toggle pins l1 and release thehigh pressure of contact. When 'pin l3 reaches the right hand end ofslots l4 and I5 the blades l0 then move to the right with the insulator3. Cross pin 22 projects slightly beyond blades ID to engage withstationary blades 9 at the right hand end to thus stop movement in theopening direction.

' Although this invention has beenshown and described in connection witha switch wherein the stationary and movable blades form a hollow square,it will be obvious that other forms of hollow switch members may beused,such as triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal or other shapes.

or the switch members might be curved to form a slotted cylinder oroval.

It will be obvious that various other modifications of the structure asshown may be made without departing from this invention, as expressed inthe following claims.

We claim: I

1. In an electric switch, opposed stationary contacts forming asubstantially closed hollow body, switch members including contactsmovable into said hollow body, toggle pins engaging at one end againstsaid movable contacts, means pivotally supporting the other ends of saidtoggle pins, and means for moving both said switch members and saidsupporting means, said operating means havinga lost-motion connection tosaid switch members, thereby to effect further movement of saidsupporting means after said switch membersare moved into their finalclosed position by said operating means and to eflect an initialmovement of said supporting meansbefore said switch members are movedfrom said final closed posi-- tion during opening movement of saidswitch.

'2. In an electric switch for use with bus bars arranged as a hollowsquare, opposed stationary contacts forming a substantially closedhollow square, movable switch members forming a similar but smallersubstantially closed hollow square reciprocating means for telescopingthe movable switch members into the substantially closed hollow squareformed by the stationary contacts, said reciprocating means having alost-motion connec-.

tion to said switch members, means to expand the substantially closedhollow body formed by,the movable switch members, and means connectingsaid expanding means to said reciprocating means.

3. The structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein rigid clamping meansencloses the stationary contact to prevent expansion thereof, whereby ahigh pressure contact is obtained.

4. In an electrical switch, the combination with a stationary insulator,a switch contact mounted on said insulator and having a pair of opposedcontact surfaces, a movable contact comprising a pair of parallelflexible blades, a reciprocating carrier supporting said movable contactfor positioning said flexible blades between the opposed surfaces'ofsaid'switch contact, means secured to said carrier and positionedbetween said blades for flexing the same outwardly, and a lost motionconnection between said carrier and said movable contact, whereby saidmovable contact is positioned between said opposed contact surfaces byreciprocation of said carrier and the further movement thereof serves tooperate said flexing means.

5. In an electrical switch,. the combination with a pair oflongitudinally spaced contacts each including a pairof transverselyopposed contact surfaces, a movable contact comprising two substantiallyparallel blades, and means for reciprocating said movable contact intoand out of position bridging the said longitudinally spaced contacts, ofmeans actuated by said reciprocating means for flexing said blades intohigh pressure contact with the respective spaced contacts at the end ofthe closing movement of said switch and for relieving said high pressurecontact at the beginning of the opening movement of said switch.

6. In an electric switch, opposed stationary contacts, correspondinglyshaped movable contacts, a reciprocating carrier having a lost motionconnection with said movable contacts for moving the same into and outof position between.

the opposed stationary contacts, a rigid support between the movablecontacts, toggle pins supported at one end in said rigid support and atthe other end against said movable contacts, means rigidly connectingsaid rigid support and said reciprocating carrier, and a stop forengaging' said movable contacts when they have been moved to a positionwithin the stationary contacts, whereby continued movement of thecarrier moves the rigid support to straighten said toggle pins andexpand the movable contacts.

"7. The structure as in claim 6 wherein a spring normally holds themovable contacts at one end of the relative movement between saidcontacts and said rigid support.

8. In an electric switch, two sets of stationary contacts inlongitudinal alignment, each of said sets having transversely opposedcontacts, a reciprocating switch member having contacts for bridging the.two sets of stationary contacts, said movable contacts being adapted totelescope within the opposed stationary contacts, means I sets of busbars, each set of bus bars comprising a stationary contact in the formof a hollow body, carrier means, a plurality of bus bars mounted on saidcarrier means and defining a movable contact of hollow form conformingto the shape of said stationary contacts, and means for reciprocatingsaid carrier means to telescope said movable contact within and bridgingthe said stationary contacts.

10. A switch as claimed in claim 9, in combination with meansforexpanding the-said plurality of bus bars of said movable contact intohigh pressure engagement with said stationary contacts during the finalclosing movement of said carrier means and for releasing said highpressure engagement at the initiation of the switch-opening movement ofsaid carrier means.

11. An electrical switch comprising a pair of stationary contacts, eachhaving a pair of opposed contact surfaces, a movable contact having apair of contact elements adapted to engage respectively thecorrespondingly arranged contact surfaces of said pair of stationarycontacts, operating means for reciprocating said,

movable contact into a position bridging said stationary contacts andalternatively into a nonbridging position, said reciprocating meanshavinga'lost-motion connection to said movable contact, and pressuremeans for forcing the said contact elements of said movable contact,into firm contacting engagement with the contact surfaces of saidstationary contacts, said operating means being movable through saidlostmotion connection with respect to said movable contact to actuatesaid pressure means after said operating means has reciprocated saidmovable contact into bridging position with respect to said stationarycontacts. 1

12. In an electric switch, two sets of stationary contacts inlongitudinal alignment, each of said sets having transversely opposedcontacts, a reciprocable switch member having similarly arrangedcontacts for bridging the sets of stationary contacts, said movablecontacts telescoping within the opposed stationary contacts, areciprocating carrier having a lost motion connection with said movablecontacts, and means operable upon relative movement between said carrierand said movable contacts for expanding said movable contacts.

I-lIEMSLEY B. MASSEY. OLAV MASENG.

